Hi there, takes place at the same time as the previous chapter, so still taking place during the moonless night.
Riku knew Towa was in trouble the moment he was within the vicinity of the village. He could sense the extra lives within the village that intended harm. He didn't understand how he knew but he just did as he hopped off the small boat.
He ran through the dewy grass on the river bank and ran into the woods that would lead him directly to the village. His emerald eyes flicked about as he ran in the dark. The trees' foliage hid him in darkness.
As he ran through the woods he wondered if Towa would speak to him or if he would be barred from seeing her by her annoying sister and cousin. Maybe he would have to fight them. Maybe he would have the opportunity to steal away his treasured hime. He would love that opportunity.
Maybe he could simply steal her away and they could hide away from the world. Hide from Zero, Kirinmaru, and all the troubles of the world.
It was a pleasant thought that made him feel things that he did not feel before Towa.
As he exited the woods he could see a large fire in the centre of the stretched village. There were some screams in the distance from villagers that were being pushed and forced to the centre of the village.
He was unimpressed as his plans to grab some strawberries and flowers were foiled by these wretches ruining everything.
He decided that he would save the villagers and hope that if Towa was in the village that she would be impressed. Impressed by his heroic good deed and that he wasn't some worthless doll.
As he ran quietly along the dirt path and came across two men, men that were unwashed with swords on their hips but no armour. He could tell by their clothing that they had ventured to the mainland and back. They were pirates.
They are too far inland. They must be trying to settle somewhere. Riku thought as he unsheathed his blade and leapt out of the ditch to quickly dispatch the men. His blade slicing into flesh and muscle of the bellies before he kicked them, one at time into the ditch.
The crying children and two women stared at him with wide eyes.
"Go home, hide in the shadows," he told them as he flicked the blood off his blade and quickly ran along the paths.
He kept count of how many men he killed. After fifteen he thought he must've been running through them all. He wondered if there were anymore before he heard an old woman cry out.
"Towa! Towa!"
Riku's heart pumped hard and fast in his chest. Sweat beaded his forehead and he felt a chill rush in his spine as he ran in the direction of the voice. He wanted to save her.
He was going to save her.
His feet pounded the dirt as he pushed his limbs to run to her.
The sight of a man choking her while she was defenceless as a human had him burn with rage. His rage had him clench his teeth, grinding as his feet slowed down as Towa in a beautiful pink kimono that was richly embroidered.
Riku had a thought that quickly rushed through his mind that the kimono may have her mother's. Sesshomaru spoiled his wife with lovely kimonos that are now Towa's after all these years.
He watched as Towa's head tipped back as her knees bowed toward the ground. She was falling unconscious as the old woman cried out Towa's name, begging the man to stop.
"Please stop, she's all that I have left of her mother!" Kaede begged and cried out. Riku thought she looked like a frail woman for once. Not the stout old miko that was rumoured throughout the villages nearby.
The sister of Kikyo had her own reputation.
Riku would save Towa and return her to Kaede.
His blade whispered in the sheath as he withdrew. Blind with rage as Towa collapsed to the ground, Riku slid the blade between the ribs of the man. Just as he had done to Kirinmaru, the master he once loved.
Not the way he believed he felt about Towa.
It was a different love he had for Kirinmaru. Perhaps as a son to a father.
"Wh-what?" The man gurgled out.
"You hurt my hime, Towa," Riku growled out and pulled the blade out. He was tempted to stab the man again and again and again.
It wasn't worth it as the man crumpled to the ground dead.
Riku panted heavily as his senses returned to him. Towa was safe. Towa was alive.
He and Kaede stared each other down. The old woman stared at him with surprise. "You saved us all, thank you," Kaede breathed out and moved toward Towa.
He turned to Towa as he heard a small gasp and low moan as she came to. Riku turned to her and stared at her. "Towa," he called her.
He saw Towa's lip wobble, her eyes teared up and she let out a sob of his name. "Riku!" She sobbed.
He gasped softly and stepped over the carcass. He had no idea how she would feel once he arrived and seeing her tears evoked an emotion he wasn't sure of himself that he was expressing. He knelt down and hugged her, her arms around his shoulders. He heard her pained gasp and pulled back to stroke her cheek.
"I'm sorry," he breathed out as he searched her face, looking for something...just something to let him know that she didn't want him.
Towa nodded and looked toward Kaede. "Kaede, are you okay?" She asked hoarsely.
"Towa...I almost lost you, like I lost Rin," Kaede said quietly and Towa hugged her gently.
"The villagers are safe now. Let me carry her back," Riku said to Towa as he looked at Kaede.
Riku watched as Towa nodded and stood stiffly. "I'll check on the villagers quickly then. Kaede let Riku carry you home. I'll be there shortly," Towa promised.
Kaede nodded hesitantly and Towa took off as quickly as her body allowed. Riku watched Towa leave him. Riku turned to Kaede and stood up before kneeling with his back to her. "Well then, the hime has spoken. Let me return you home so that you may rest and forget that this terrible night happened. You have not lost one of Rin's daughters tonight," Riku said.
Kaede's one eye widened. "How do you know her name?"
Riku looked over his shoulder and looked up at her grimly. "My lady is Zero, she has made a mess of your family. I am sorry for the suffering that Rin is enduring because of my lady's actions and hatred toward the late Inu no Taishou's family," he explained.
"Rin is alive?" Kaede asked with a whisper, her hands rising to her mouth. "All these years Rin was alive?"
Riku stood up quickly and took the old woman's hands. "I want to help Towa. She has her sister, but it is time to save her mother and end this chaotic mess that my lady started because of her jealousy of Inuyasha's mother," Riku further added.
"You will walk with me, not carry me, and during that walk you will explain everything to me that you know," Kaede ordered firmly.
The old stout miko has returned.
He explained as much as he could during the walk to the house. When they stood before the house he bowed to her.
"I wish to leave a note for Towa if you will permit that?" He asked as he lifted his head up.
"You may do so. So, your master is Zero, the sister of your former master. She was spurned by Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father and since then she's been plotting against them by claiming that she was doing all this," Kaede waved her hand around, "to ensure Kirinmaru was safe from being felled by a creature that was neither human nor youkai? She has ruined so many lives! You tell that lady of yours if she ever thinks of setting foot within the vicinity of my village I'll use my sister's arrow to purify her!" Kaede growled out lowly.
Riku saw the ire in Kaede's eye. A fire burned behind the old woman's face. Hope had set a fire in her bones.
"I will keep her away. I hope Towa and her sister and cousin succeed in stopping Lady Zero," Riku said with a nod. "I am going to get something and return with the note."
When he returned later before the sun was rising, ending the moonless night, he laid out some flowers and washed the strawberries, letting the pile into a bowl. He folded the note he wrote for Towa as Kaede's snores filled the room.
He knew now wasn't the time to simply take Towa away, not when it seemed that there was at least one other person that needed her. He glanced down at Kaede as he stood up and watched the old woman sleeping. Her left cheek was puffy.
He walked out of the house and smiled at the sun rising. His dark haired princess was going to be replaced with his white haired princess.
"Until next time," Riku sighed out and walked away from the house toward the woods. He would go pay his respects to the Goshinboku and see if the rumours were true that Sesshomaru was known to be close by it. The woods were haunted since Inuyasha disappeared, the rumours whispered of old superstition.
He intended to test that superstition and see for himself.
Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. You can follow me on tumblr and twitter myravenspirit.